The average American home has over 300,000 items. As seniors age, it can be hard for them to part with the countless items they’ve accumulated over the years. However, this makes life much harder for their loved ones when they have to clean out their homes after they’re gone. So, instead, get together and tackle the clutter together! These decluttering tips for seniors can help.

Getting Your Loved One on Board

Your loved one may be apprehensive about starting the decluttering process, and it can be a difficult conversation to have. Use these tips to help your loved one accept the process.

• Acknowledge their feelings. Tell them that you know this is a difficult process, but it’s essential.
• Be patient and kind. If they resist, don’t get upset. Instead, re-explain why this process is necessary.
• Frame it positively. Explain all the benefits, such as creating more space and reducing future burdens for their loved ones.
• Focus on their health. Explain how reducing clutter can help prevent falls or accidents.
• Offer help. Assure them that you will be there to help them through the entire process.

One Room at a Time

Decluttering an entire house can feel overwhelming, especially if a loved one has lived there for a long time. Not knowing where to start can delay the process. The best thing you can do is start with one room. This makes the task much more manageable.

Once you settle on one room, start with one area – like a closet or drawer. Focus just on that area, working to remove items that your loved one no longer needs. To help your loved one stay on track, try to make a set schedule, such as decluttering one room per week.

Organize Items

During the decluttering process, set up three distinct areas: keep, donate, and throw away. Your loved one might want to hold onto more items than necessary because of memory associations, a scarcity mindset, or emotional attachment. They may also feel very hesitant about throwing anything away. This is why having a donation pile serves as a good compromise – you can reassure your loved one that their items can find a new home and be cherished by others.

It’s best to keep these areas organized using boxes or storage totes rather than throwing items on the ground. Seeing a large ‘mess’ can overwhelm your loved one and make them hesitant to continue the process. Keeping items organized from the get-go will show that progress is actually being made.

Time to Discard

If your loved one has trouble getting rid of items, some of these rules may help smooth the situation over.

• Get rid of duplicates. No one needs five pairs of scissors or three rolling pins. Eliminate all unnecessary duplicated items – ideally, only keeping one of each.
• Say goodbye to unused items. Ask your loved one if they’ve used items in the last year. If the answer is no, they should let it go.
• Discard clothing that doesn’t fit. There’s no reason to keep any clothing items that don’t fit or that your loved one doesn’t wear anymore. If they have sentimental items, such as a wedding dress, consider repurposing them into items like scarves, blankets, or bags. There are many creative ideas for old fabric.
• Practice ‘one in, one out.’ For every item your loved one buys, they should discard an old item. This reduces the likelihood of areas becoming cluttered again.
• Define specific spaces for keepsakes. This could be a box, a shelf, or a closet. Once that area is full, reassess and declutter again based on priorities.

Don’t Rush It

While you should try your best to keep your decluttering schedule on track, it’s important not to rush your loved one in the moment. If they linger a moment or two longer on an item, let them. It’s more than likely many of these items are attached to memories. Decluttering can be a very difficult process for seniors. They may get frustrated and not want to continue the process if you rush them.

If your loved one gets hung up on certain items and cannot decide whether to keep or discard them, make a ‘maybe’ pile. This helps eliminate the pressure of deciding immediately by allowing them to revisit those items later in the process to reassess where they should go.